It is sometimes necessary to restrain certain persons, such as criminals and mentally disturbed persons, for their own protection and for the protection of others. One method of restraining a person is to use hand-cuffs which typically include a pair of metallic cuffs joined by a short chain. The cuffs can be locked around the wrists of a restrainee, thereby binding the restrainee's hands and wrists close together, either in front of, or behind, the restrainee's body. A variation on the traditional, metallic hand-cuffs are plastic flex-cuffs which include a flexible, plastic strip that is smooth on one side and serrated on the opposite side, and which defines a hole at one end. The flex cuff is applied to a restrainee by threading one end of the plastic strip through the hole at the other end of the plastic strip, thereby looping the flex cuff around the wrist or ankle of the restrainee. The flex cuff is drawn tight around the restrainee's wrist or ankle so that at least one of the serrations on one side of the plastic strip securely engage the portion of the plastic strip that defines the border of the hole. The flex cuff can only be removed by cutting the plastic strip.
A drawback associated with hand-cuffs and flex-cuffs is that, although the restrainee's hands are securely bound together, the restrainee is still capable of relatively unhindered arm movement and, especially if the hands are bound in front of the restrainee's body, can use his or her arms and bound hands as weapons. One solution to the problem of restraining both the hand and arm movement of a restrained individual is to apply securable cuffs, such as hand-cuffs or cuffs having a hook-and-loop fastener, such as Velcro, to the wrists of the restrainee and attaching the cuffs to a belt worn around the restrainee's waist. A problem with this type of device, however, is that the restrainee, especially a thin restrainee, can slide out of the belt.
Another solution to the problem of restraining both the hand and arm movement of a restrained individual is a strait-jacket which is a garment, typically manufactured from canvas, having arms that are sealed at the wrists so that the wearer's hands are trapped within the sleeves. The sleeves are secured to the rear portion of the strait jacket so that the wearer's arms are wrapped around his or her torso. The strait-jacket thus completely immobilizes the hands and arms of the wearer.
Restraining devices such as hand-cuffs, flex-cuffs and strait-jackets may, however, be inhumane when continuously applied for an extended period. For example, a prisoner being transferred from one penal institution to another is typically restrained during the entire transfer period in order to prevent escape. Further, restraining devices, such as hand-cuffs, flex-cuffs and strait-jackets, provide the person in charge of the restrainee with only a limited ability to vary the degree of restraint applied to the restrainee.
Restraining devices can also serve a rehabilitative function. Thus, for example, a troublesome prison inmate can be completely restrained by means of, for example, a strait-jacket, during periods of misbehavior, but can be provided with an incentive to conform to the rules by the prospect of a less onerous form of restraint. Further, prison inmates who are being moved by public transport often do not want to be seen to be restrained. They have an incentive to behave if their good behavior is rewarded by the use of a restraining device which is not readily visible to a casual observer.
Thus, there is a need for a restraining garment that provides the person in charge of the restrainee with the ability to vary the degree of restraint applied to the restrainee, and which permits the restrainee a reasonable degree of limb movement during extended periods of restraint. Further, the garment should present the appearance of a normal, everyday item of clothing that does not attract the attention of a casual observer to the fact that the wearer is under restraint.